Mold is one of many concerns that plague homeowners. It is unsightly, making the house look old, untidy and unpleasant to behold, even in newer properties. It can cause dark stains on the walls of your kitchen and bathrooms. As this fungus accumulates and grows over time, it feeds on damp wood or other building materials, causing them to deteriorate. Aside from the ugly and disgusting appearance, mold can also cause health problems. Exposure to the spores produced by mold as it is growing can cause medical problems like allergic reactions. Black mold is even known to produce toxins that can kill.
Considering how dangerous these molds are, there are a lot of DIY videos on the internet that claim to teach people the process of mold removal. Unfortunately, most of these videos are misleading at best, and downright dangerous and irresponsible at the worst. DIY mold removal methods over time have proven to be dangerous and ineffective. In this article, we will explore some reasons why you should not attempt to remove mold on your own.
THE DANGER OF HIDDEN MOLD
Mold is a fungus that reproduces using spores. For mold to survive, it needs moisture, air, moderate temperatures, and darkness. When the airborne spores find themselves in such conditions, they quickly spread, causing rot to such a place. This explains why you find them in places like the bathroom, kitchen, attic, garage and other moist areas of the house. Usually, mold grows well in areas of the house where there are water damage issues like water leaks, water floods, improper ventilation, etc. Unfortunately, there is no way to prevent the spores from entering your home, as mold occurs naturally outdoors and air flows in and out of buildings.
THERE IS MORE MOLD THAN YOU CAN SEE
Usually, you will know mold when you see it. In some cases you can smell it, as the accumulation can also cause a musty smell. However, considering the kind of environment where you find mold growing, it’s very unlikely that you notice them in your house. When you see a spot of mold in an open place like on your walls, it is probably a sign that you have a bigger mold problem hidden somewhere else in the house.
While some mold is relatively harmless, there are some strains of mold that can cause severe respiratory issues even in small amounts. Notable names that can cause severe problems to include Alternaria, a nasty mold that stays in bathtubs and showers. Alternaria is notorious for causing asthma-like symptoms in people that breathe its spores.
There is also Aureobasidium, a multi-colored mold found on painted wooden surfaces and wallpapers. Aureobasidium is notorious for causing eye, nail and skin infections.
Last but not least, the list will not be complete unless we mention the famous black mold.
Also called Stachybotrys, black mold appears in black or dark green colors. You will normally find this mold growing on substances that contain dead organic matter like hay, wood, cardboard, etc. It is notoriously known as toxic mold because it releases mycotoxins that cause many medical problems.
Of all mold types, black mold is the most dreaded because even the slightest exposure to it can cause the following symptoms:
- Burning sensation in the airways
- Difficulty in breathing
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Headache
- Nose bleed
- Persistent cough
- Sinusitis
- Depression
Considering how dangerous mold can be to your health, you should not be complacent if you see mold in your home. You must take the need for mold remediation seriously.
LIMITATIONS OF DIY MOLD REMOVAL
Considering the dangerous health effects that come from mold exposure, attempting to kill mold on your own can be a terrible idea. In addition to that, there are several other reasons why you should not attempt a DIY mold removal no matter what you’ve seen on YouTube. These reasons include the following.
1. You do not have any idea what you are dealing with
Mold has many different strains. According to the CDC, there are over 10,000 species of mold out there and many of them look alike. Black mold is probably the most dangerous of them all but there are still a few others that are just as dangerous. Unfortunately, these types of mold look alike. A random YouTuber might tell you a mold that looks a certain way is not dangerous, when in fact the one you have on your property is a dangerous type that looks like that other one. In such cases, you will be putting yourself in harm’s way unknowingly. However, when you give the job to a mold remediation service, they will test the mold situation you have and give you treatment plans based on what you are dealing with.
2. You could make issues even worse
Like we said earlier, mold reproduces and releases spores. These spores are tiny and invisible to the eyes and are spread via air. During a professional mold removal or remediation, safety measures are taken so that the spores are contained and they do not spread. However, if you attempt DIY mold removal, there is a chance that you might spread these spores unknowing because you cannot see them. When this happens, two things can occur. If the spores do not travel far, the problem will return. That means you wasted your time and effort. However, if the spores were carried around your house, you could have a bigger problem with mold growing in whole new places, and the problem just gets worse.
3. You are likely to miss hidden mold
The fact that you see mold anywhere on your property is a sign that you might have a big mold problem lurking somewhere in the dark. Mold is notorious for hiding in very unlikely places of the house like in your air vents, air conditioning systems, and other places. More so, the fact that you do not see mold just yet doesn’t mean your house is not infected with mold. While you might remove the obvious mold staining the wall or ceiling, the hidden mold in your house can still create issues for you. Therefore, you need to hire a professional mold removal service to help you test your house and find the mold for proper treatment and full remediation.
For these reasons and more, you should leave your mold remediation to professional mold remediators. However, homeowners can remove mold in small patches on their own. Per the EPA, you can easily remove a small mold patch less than 10 square feet in size using bleach, detergent and water. Bigger areas are best left to the professionals.
BENEFITS OF PROFESSIONAL MOLD REMOVAL SERVICES
The following are some of the benefits that come with using a professional mold removal service:
1. Experience
Companies like FDP Mold Remediation have been in the mold remediation business for a long while. With such long years of experience, they have handled several problems that look like the one you have. Therefore, they know where to look, what to look for, and how to solve your problems without guessing.
2. Professional-grade tools
When you hire a professional mold remediation service like FDP, they come with high-grade tech equipment. These include air filters, containment systems, protection gear and other heavy-duty products. Asides from that these tools help you get the best result; they also ensure that your family and the workers are safe all through the process.
3. Mold testing services
Most professional mold remediation services like FDP also offer pre-removal & post-removal mold testing. With the test, you have the assurance that the mold infestation has been taken care of.
4. Mold Remediation
Professional companies do not only clean up the mold in your home. Not every surface is possible to clean. For example, dry wall and other porous materials have tiny nooks and crannies like a sponge, and you can never be sure that you get all of it out. For this reason, FDP also will remove affected areas of porous materials, and use industry standard biocides on non-porous surfaces to prevent mold growth returning. This process is called mold remediation.